and Ben Godfrey after heading Everton into a first-half lead at Turf Moor. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Right then, I’ll call it a day there, with Will Unwin’s report already up. Thanks for tuning in and all your messages. Cheers!
James Tarkowski speaks to Sky: “We were big and powerful on set-pieces, knew we’d cause them problems and got the two goals from it. And then just worked as a team throughout the game.”
On the points deduction:
“I think it’s definitely unified everyone at the club… But before the point deduction we were playing well and winning games so we’ve just continued that good work.”
On playing five at the back:
“Ideally we would’ve sticked with a four the way we’ve been working and playing well with it, but we lost three of the back four from last weekend through injuries and suspension so we just had to adjust and deal with it.” He praises the players who came in, including Keane who got the second goal.
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Everton have kept four consecutive clean sheets too; Tarkowski and Keane were pretty much rock-solid today at the ground they used to call home. I rather enjoyed the efforts of McNeil and Harrison as well, running, running and running some more out wide to disrupt Burnley from finding any flow.
FULL-TIME: Burnley 0-2 Everton
Well that was rather straightforward. Sean Dyche is clapping away, his side having won their fourth league game on the bounce. The job was done in the first half with goals from Onana and Keane, and they kept it together in the second to seal it.
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90+2 min: Tresor blasts a shot over the bar, cutting in from the left to have a go with his right.
90+1 min: Keane is named Player of the Match, having scored a goal and read well at the back.
90 min: Lovely from Everton, who work the ball through the left: McNeil finds Garner, who drives forward and plays in Beto in the box, but the angle is too tight for the forward to properly trouble Trafford.
88 min: Burnley waste another set-piece, trying to work it short before the hoof into the box is dealt with by Everton.
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88 min: Benson wins a corner after McNeil gets in the way of his cross.
87 min: More changes for Burnley, with Redmond and Tresor entering the fray.
86 min: Benson collects the ball out on the right and whips in a ball deep into the Everton box but Keane cleans up the danger.
85 min: Everton are starting to look a bit weary, their first-half hassling catching up with them.
83 min: Benson replaces Bruun Larsen for Burnley as Brownhill whips into the box… and Foster gets a head on it, with the ball travelling wide.
82 min: Tarkowski takes Amdouni down, and Burnley have a free-kick out in the centre-right region. Beto replaces Calvert-Lewin for Everton.
79 min: Amdouni flicks-on with a header to Bruun Larsen, who plays it back to Berge on the edge of the box, and he smashes a shot onto the crossbar! Apparently Bruun Larsen was offside so, yeah, not much drama there in the end.
77 min: Odobert’s lovely feet send Patterson breakdancing out on the left wing before passing to Vitinho… who launches another cross into the hands of Pickford.
76 min: Vitinho launches a hopeful cross from the left, and it’s easily collected by Pickford.
74 min: “With Keane and Onana having landed blows, all Everton need is a Tarkowski power header off a corner for the TKO,” writes Peter Oh. Even without a goal, Tarkowski’s had a fine game.
73 min: Foster shows off his quick feet on the right to beat his man and play in a cross, eventually winning a corner… which causes no issues for Everton.
71 min: All rather messy at the moment out there in the middle, with no real chances emerging. Burnley have more of the ball, but barely any bite.
69 min: Time for a change: Burnley bring on Al-Dakhil for Delcroix.
66 min: Bruun Larsen crosses in from the right… and a Blue head is there to play killjoy. It just ain’t happening for Burnley.
64 min: Pickford makes a terrific save moving to his right after Amdouni advances down the right channel and hits a thunderous drive from outside the box.
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63 min: Garner whips in a dangerous, deep ball and Trafford struggles to deal with it… it’s chaos in there with all those bodies, and the ball strikes the post, possibly twice. Burnley live on, however.
62 min: The livewire McNeil wins a corner for Everton after his cross is blocked.
61 min: Bruun Larsen tries to play in Amdouni, who goes down in the box, trying to claim a penalty – but he’s simply been undone by Tarkowski’s strength and anticipation.
59 min: Keane plays a sparkling long ball wide out to McNeil, who takes it down beautifully on the left before launching in the cross – it’s dealt with by Trafford, though.
58 min: Bruun Larsen’s corner is poor, and Burnley haven’t caused enough trouble with their own set-piece efforts.
57 min: Bruun Larsen, probably Burnley’s best player today, lines it up for his right foot – but the wall is struck and it’s out for a corner. Tarkowski was the man who got in the way.
56 min: Burnley win a free-kick from central, shooting range…
55 min: Calvert-Lewin jumps into O’Shea, who was trying to get a defensive head on it – the Everton striker doesn’t get punished with a yellow.
53 min: Burnley get rid of the corner, but can’t keep a hold of the ball to launch a counter.
52 min: Garner has a go at goal, with Trafford getting a touch that leads to a corner.
51 min: Harrison hassles O’Shea into conceding a throw-in out on the left for Everton. The midfielder, who is being a nuisance, then wins a free-kick out on the wing.
50 min: Foster has a go on target, but it’s without power and pace – nonetheless, Burnley have begun well this half.
49 min: Burnley are seeing plenty of the ball, and Vitinho plays a lovely little reverse pass to find Bruun Larsen inside the box, on the right, but the cross goes straight into the hands of Pickford.
48 min: Bruun Larsen plays a gorgeous low ball across the box from the right, but no Burnley shirts get on the end of it, with the ball running away for a corner.
Peep!
A change for Burnley, with Lyle Foster on for Jay Rodriguez. Everton have one too, with Dobbin on for Doucouré.
“Everton are getting a proper stomp on back up the table,” writes Bill Preston. “These last few games, filled with thrilling heroics, are going to make the end of season run in considerably less terrifying for the blue half of Liverpool.”
Yeah, this whole 10-point deduction doesn’t feel all that dramatic, does it? I’ve just crunched the numbers, equations, etc and Everton would be ninth at the moment if they hadn’t been punished. Quick maths.
“It turns out The Hollies’ drummer Bobby Elliot is from Burnley, so how about some Hollies?” writes Joe Pearson. “In other news, I have never seen Love Actually.” Well, Joe, I’ve never listened to The Hollies. So here we go.
HALF-TIME: Burnley 0-2 Everton
45+5 min: An Everton free-kick finds the hands of Trafford and the half-time whistle is blown. The visitors have been dominant, hassling away off the ball and making great use of their set-pieces.
45+3 min: Godfrey with a goal-saving interception! A chipped ball over the top finds Vitinho in the box, who crosses in from the right with Amdouni waiting to tap in from a couple yards out… but a sliding Godfrey gets back to divert the ball away for a corner. Terrific defending.
45+1 min: Burnley escape any further punishment.
45 min: Bruun Larsen’s free-kick doesn’t cause Everton any bother and they respond through McNeil winning a corner at the other end. Four minutes added on.
44 min: Patterson has a sweep at Odobert’s legs and Burnley win a free-kick out on the left in a dangerous area.
42 min: McNeil and Vitinho tussle away out on Everton’s left, and Harrison collects the leftovers, trying to play a low ball into the box which is dealt with by the Burnley defence. Everton’s work-rate has been terrific.
40 min: Everton work it around the pitch before Patterson collects out on the right to cross in, but it’s snuffed away by Burnley.
38 min: Odobert tries to block a pass with his… head – think Phil Jones from a few years ago against, I think, Arsenal? He’s hurt himself in the process. Kompany gathers his troops for a pep talk.
36 min: Onana goes down by the halfway line, with Everton winning a free-kick. Pickford comes forward to take it, sending it into the box for Tarkowksi to get a head on the ball… but it loops up high enough for Trafford to safely collect.
35 min: McNeil pings the ball to Harrison out on the left, and he tries to find Garner, advancing forward from midfield, but Burnley end up with a throw.
33 min: Everton win a free-kick out at the centre-left region, and the ball is dinked in but ultimately comes to nothing, with Burnley winning a throw out on their left.
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32 min: Harrison moves over to the left-hand side for Everton, doubling up there alongside the also-dangerous McNeil.
31 min: Everton’s physicality seems to be overpowering Burnley, who knock it around at the back, waiting for an opening.
28 min: Burnley are well off it at the moment, with Vincent Kompany pacing around and looking rather concerned.
GOAL! Burnley 0-2 Everton (Keane 25)
Against his old club! Keane blasts a strike inside the box after Tarkowski heads down from a free-kick – taken by Pickford in the Everton half – and Trafford saves well but the ball ricochets off a Burnley defender and finds Keane to tuck in the rebound from close range.
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24 min: McNeil drives forward from his own half and gets a shot away from just outside the box, but he’s off balance and blasts it over.
22 min: Odobert is looking lively on the left for Burnley and he plays a neat one-two to break away and find Rodriguez in the box, but the striker’s turn and shot is blocked away by Tarkowski.
21 min: Burnley break down the right and work it nicely for Bruun Larsen to have a go in the box with his left foot… but a blue shirt gets in the way.
GOAL! Burnley 0-1 Everton (Onana 19)
It’s a fine corner from McNeil, deep and into the six-yard box and Onana leaps high to head in, with Trafford unable to deal with the crowd of shirts in front of him. Everton deservedly take the lead.
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18 min: Patterson plays in a delightful cross that Calvert-Lewin gets a meaty header on, the ball heading low and into the net… but Trafford gets down there and pulls off a cracking save to force a corner.
16 min: Trafford races out of his goal with a sliding interception to stop Calvert-Lewin from getting on the end of a ball into the left channel.
15 min: Tarkowski gets a looping header away at the far post, and Trafford is fouled as he tries to collect.
14 min: Trafford parries away the ball for another corner after an inswinging delivery comes in.
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14 min: Harrison wins a corner out on the right after Doucouré breaks away through the middle.
12 min: Burnley have so far struggled to play their way around Everton’s press up the pitch, and McNeil has a throw out on the left wing for the Blues.
9 min: Harrison does well out on the right for Everton, whipping in a dangerous ball with his left foot which finds McNeil, whose header – prioritising accuracy over power – is just wide.
8 min: Delcroix tries to chip a ball into the left channel for Odobert to chase, but it’s too heavy, finding Pickford instead.
7 min: The cross is played short by Burnley and Everton hold their shape to ensure no ball is played into the box. The hosts were trying to be a bit too neat there. Just get it in there, fellas.
6 min: Rodriguez is fouled in his own half by Doucouré before Bruun Larsen wins a corner after trying to cross from the right wing.
4 min: Burnley get a free-kick from long range, with the ball whipped into the box but cleared away for Everton by Onana.
3 min: Odobert finds a bit of space on the left-hand side for Burnley and gets a low cross in, but not to a teammate.
2 min: Plenty of tussling in the Everton right-back’s corner of the pitch, with the ball then recycled back into the Burnley half.
Peep!
Burnley kick off, moving from right to left.
Alright, the players are out there on the pitch, so we’re not far away from kick-off. Get your snacks and tea sorted. Sean Dyche walks out to lots of cheers and love.
Great to see Lyle Foster back for Burnley having taken a leave of absence earlier this season to look after his mental health.
Welcome back, Lyle 😀
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) December 16, 2023
It's great to see you! 🫶 pic.twitter.com/JftY8mpOvB
Here’s what’s happening elsewhere in the Premier League. Sending all my support and love to Tom Lockyer.
Before we get stuck in, have a read of this excellent piece by Will Unwin on Sean Dyche’s time at Turf Moor.
The teams
Burnley: Trafford, O’Shea, Beyer, Vitinho, Delcroix, Brownhill, Berge, Bruun Larsen, Odobert, Rodríguez, Amdouni
Subs: Muric, Roberts, Al-Dakhil, Redmond, Cullen, Benson, Foster, Trésor, Obafemi
Everton: Pickford, Patterson, Keane, Tarkowski, Godfrey, McNeil, Onana, Harrison, Garner, Doucouré, Calvert-Lewin
Subs: Virgínia, Lonergan, Campbell, Hunt, Metcalfe, Danjuma, Beto, Chermiti, Dobbin
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Here’s how Burnley will shape up…
Your Clarets team to take on the Toffees 👊 pic.twitter.com/e0UhTjDvmT
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) December 16, 2023
And here are Everton…
Your Toffees to face @BurnleyOfficial! 🔵#BUREVE pic.twitter.com/87sGI8AkY9
— Everton (@Everton) December 16, 2023
Preamble
Guess who’s back? Hello, hello, hello and welcome to coverage of Everton’s visit to Burnley. Forget the players, the main story for now is the return of Sean Dyche to Turf Moor. Across a decade-long spell, he took the men in claret and blue up to the Prem (twice) and, briefly, into Europe before things turned sour.
The Everton manager will come back with confidence, though, his new side having won three on the bounce, their whole Us Against The World shtick working as they rail against their points deduction. Burnley ended their torrid run at home this season with a 5-0 shellacking of fellow strugglers Sheffield United two weeks ago, but they remain five points off Dyche’s men, who sit in 17th. Everton will be without the suspended Jarrad Branthwaite and Idrissa Gueye, but Vincent Kompany’s team are still up against it.
I’ll be here to take you through to the finish. Drop me a line and share your thoughts, queries, song requests, new year resolutions, favourite Love Actually subplots, whatever you fancy.
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